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Duduzane Zuma arrives in SA to attend brother’s funeral and appear in court

06 July 2018 - 15:37
Karyn Maughan and Kgaugelo Masweneng

Duduzane Zuma. Picture: JAMES OATWAY

Former president Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane Zuma, has returned to SA from abroad‚ in time to attend his brother Vusi’s funeral on Saturday.

"I can confirm that he came into the republic last night. He was briefly detained by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and it was confirmed there is no warrant of arrest for him‚" his lawyer Rudi Krause said on Friday.

"He is in SA for his brother’s funeral and to appear in court on the culpable homicide charges." He was detained because a look-out had been circulated for him on the SAPS system on a 2016 Rosebank case. Krause said police did not want to identify what that case related to.

"At this stage‚ we do not know the nature of that case." The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said there was currently no warrant for Zuma — only the summons for him to appear in a Johannesburg court on July 12‚ to face two charges of culpable homicide related to a 2014 car accident.

Elaborating on Thursday night’s events‚ Krause said Zuma was "briefly detained" at OR Tambo International Airport upon his arrival.

"No warrant of arrest was issued‚ he was therefore not arrested." The law enforcement officials were professional in their conduct, he said.

"They acted responsibly and were completely fair‚" Krause said.

Phumzile Dube was killed in February 2014 after Zuma’s Porsche collided with the taxi in which she was travelling. Her fellow passenger‚ Nanki Jeanette Mashaba‚ who was injured in the accident‚ reportedly died in hospital a few weeks after the crash.

In August 2015‚ the NPA decided not to prosecute the former president’s son‚ despite Magistrate Lalitha Chetty finding‚ during a formal judicial inquest into the death‚ that there was prima facie evidence that Dube’s death had been caused by Zuma’s negligent actions.

But‚ after AfriForum and former prosecutor Gerrie Nel announced that they intended to pursue a private prosecution against Zuma‚ the state reconsidered that decision and sought representations from Zuma on why he should not face charges.